Traveller’s Guide to the Skein Reach – Subsector 5 and Aurora Station
This subsector is in the center of the Skein Reach, a desolate scattering of stars near the galactic rim. Aurora Station is the most important trade hub here. Most of the other star systems here are small independent colonies, many of them low-technology worlds in relative isolation. There are also Imperial and Confederation settlements scattered throughout.
Regional Powers
Although Emperor Omerox claims the Skein Reach as part of his domains, officially he also claims the independent Confederation of Planets. The area is actually under neither power’s complete control. Many of the words in the region pay taxes, tithes, and fees to one or both powers, and have various treaties with their respective governments. Nevertheless neither power has enough economic interest or naval might in the sector to control trade or effectively deter piracy. Which is why some criminal gangs are so powerful in the Reach, effectively ruling systems such as Siegworld.
The Imperial Dutchy of Abiodun is neither interested in attempting to nor able to pacify the sector. A poor Imperial capitol, they don’t have a large navy, and the Duke is well known to be complicit in the piracy in the region. Rather than a proud Duke, he is the overseer of shady Imperial dealings and the host of occasional Imperial naval wargames in the Reach. Imperial Intelligence for the region is also headquartered here, and Imperial Scout reports route to the throne through here.
The Confederation of Planets has no plans to recruit worlds in the Skein Reach. They do have non-aggression and trade treaties with many of the independent worlds near their border, but the current peaceful stalemate with the Empire could be upset by recruiting worlds here into the Confederation. Additionally, Confederation Starfleet Command considers the difficult-to-traverse region a good natural buffer from the Empire. Their covert agents use the area as a “soft border” for information about and infiltration into the Empire.
There are also formal and informal polities among the various clumps of stars in the reach. Vohek and Orthmarion have extensive trade and mutual defense treaties, for example.
The Central Skein Reach Trade Confederation organizes trade route, data, and security along the trade routes in the broken ring centered at Aurora Station.
The Ragnarok Krew is the largest and most powerful criminal enterprise in the Reach. With a dozen or so small ships in their possession, raiding, piracy, smuggling, and slaving are their main occupations. The Krew is led by Jalvex “The Hammer” from the starport on Seigworld. Rival gangs include the Red Razors, the Ganymede Boys, the Sun Talons, and the Damned.
The Droid Uprising (or “The Departing”, as some of the droids call themselves) is a self-organizing group of artificially-intelligent droids. They are all intelligent robots who have been freed of the programming which makes them serve their owners. A new phenomenon, the Uprising currently controls no territory, but are building a small fleet of asteroid-hull ships using stolen parts. They have operations on Sareliox, and in the Micon and Cixan systems. Currently their main objective is freeing droids from their programming and transporting them rimward to their main refuge, called “Paradise” in Skein Reach subsector 2.
Systems
Æðelmær
UWP: C87A467-7 (no gas giant)
Trade Codes: Ni (non-industrial), Wa (water)
Starport: C – Routine, unrefined fuel, shipyard (small craft), repairs
Berthing: 100 Cr.
Bases: Scout
Size: 8 – 12,800 km, 1.00G
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 7 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: A – Almost completely water
Population: 4 – Tens of thousands (small town)
Government: 6 – Captive government
Factions:
Religious dictatorship (notable group)
Civil service bureaucracy (notable group)
Law: 7
Technology: 7
Culture Notes: Unusual customs: nobility, Unusual customs: eating, Progressive
The class C starport on one of the few land-masses of Æðelmær 4 is also the trading hub for the many fishers who ply the vast oceans. Readily available water for fuel resulted in the Empire choosing this world for a small scout base on a smaller island.
Abiodun
UWP: C77A653-8
Trade – Ni (non-industrial), Wa (water)
Starport: C – Routine, unrefined fuel, shipyard (small craft), repairs
Berthing: 400 Cr.
Bases: Scout, Imperial Consulate
Size: 7 – 11,200 km, 0.90G
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 9 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: A – Almost completely water
Population: 6 – Millions
Government: 5 – Feudal technocracy
Law Level : 3
Tech. Level : 8
Culture Notes: Remnant, Extremely Sexist
This consulate is the purported center of Imperial rule in the Skein Reach, though in reality the Empire’s control of the sector is minimal. Poor by imperial standards, Duke Axyl is a miserly isolationist. Some believe he allows the criminality at Night City in order to take advantage of the black market there.
Abiodun is defended by a large number of outdated SDBs that the starport is barely able to keep running. This fleet of SBDs patrol the system, scanning and collecting fees from ships refueling or landing in system. The Duke has few other ships in his navy, and so has little military reach beyond Abiodun. One aging cruiser (ISS Crusher) is their largest, accompanied by whatever other portion of the fleet is flying, and goes from system to system to collect Imperial taxes.
The populace is concentrated on the planet’s only continent. The Duke’s palace and the starport are both at the capitol Aydin, near the mouth of the largest river. Others live on the coast or on the small islands that dot the world. The people are fiercely proud of their Imperial heritage, and have exaggerated Imperial norms to such a degree that their culture strictly separates roles in society, dress, and behavior between males and females.
Faction – Self-perpetuating oligarchy (fringe group) – a small noble family with holdings on one of the larger islands.
Faction – Captive government (fringe group) – yet another noble family, exiled to a single island far from the mainland.
Alameth
UWP: A7002??-B
Trade Codes:
Alameth 5 K is a small .7G airless world with a class A Imperial planetary starport.
Strategically, Alameth is a choke point – most ships traveling between the Reach and Imperial space must travel through this system, and the Imperial forces here have orders to prevent the lawlesness of the Reach from spreading into the Empire’s adjacent hinterlands. Their main concern is contraband.
The Empire keeps some attached ships in system including a system patrol vessel in orbit around 5-K, and fighters on standby on base. A network of probe satellites throughout the system ensures that they know who comes and goes. Smaller system patrol vessels aggressively scan ships as they drop out of jump near the gas giant or star. Duke Axle’s fleet will often stop here for R&R and to resupply as they make their slow rounds through the sector, so scout ships and corvettes are often there as well.
The rest of the system has small outlying mining settlements, mainly in the rings and on the moons of Alameth 5.
The starbase has a small commercial landing pad where trade is permitted. Those docking are subject to ship and cargo inspections at the demand of the Imperial authorities.
Amalan
UWP: D210552-B
Trade Codes: Ni (non-industrial)
Starport: D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
Berthing: 50 Cr.
Bases: Scout
Size: 2 – 3,200 km, 0.15G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 1 – Trace (vacc suit)
Temperature: C – Roasting (81 C or higher)
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 5 – Hundreds of thousands (average city)
Government: 5 – Feudal technocracy
Law: 2
Technology: 11
Factions:
Self-perpetuating oligarchy (minor group), Charismatic dictator (fringe group), Self-perpetuating oligarchy (obscure group)
Culture Notes: Unusual customs: conspiracy, Influenced, Unusual customs: eating
The intricate factions which control the ancient factories of Amalan have blurred the line between corporation and religion. The inhabitants live in extensive underground habitations, and in a handful of orbital structures, and due to the byzantine intrigues of their society are very suspicious of everyone.
Archeron
UWP – X662400-1
Trade – Low Tech, Non-Industrial
Starport Class : none
World Size : 6
Atmosphere Type: 6 ( )
Temperature : 8
Hydrographic % : 2
Population : 4 (65,000)
Government Type: none
Law Level : none
Tech. Level : 1
This dry world is tidally locked to the star, which means that it does not have a day and night cycle. One side is perpetually day, with a large steaming sea directly under the sun. The other side is eternally night, illuminated by stars, where cool rain falls. The streams and rivulets join and create rivers, which have carved canyons through the eternally-twilit habitable zone.
The tall, thin humanoids of Archeron live in tribes of hunter-gatherers in these canyons, bow-hunting in the deserts from the backs of their odenatars (riding lizard/birds). The undiscovered shamans of Archeron use a native herb to stimulate psionic abilities.
This planet was the birthplace of the Nikkarian Empire’s guild of psychic navigators, but that knowledge is lost to time. Neither the Confederation of Planets nor the Empire know that the psychic positronic brain known as The Chronomancer slumbers under ruins on the night side of Acheron.
Auronov X391000-0
This system is completely empty and uninhabited except for two gas giants and a some asteroids.
Cixan
UWP X000000-0
At Skein subsector 5, hex 0302, a quiet gas giant orbits a white dwarf. With no large settlements in the star system, the sixth planet’s orbit is the staging area of the Droid Uprising’s tiny fleet of starships. Hidden among the ice rings in far orbit is their largest ship, named G-1, a 500 ton distributed junk ship with numerous shuttles and fuel-service cutters docked to it. On backup is asteroid ship A-6, ready to ferry freed droids rimward to the new droid colony (Paradise, Skein Reach subsector 2-0504), or to take supplies out to the Uprising’s other asteroid ships (A1 – A5) which quietly shuttle between here, Sareliox, and Micon.
Chasme
UWP: E000510-9
Trade Codes: As (asteroid), Ni (non-industrial), Va (vacuum)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Berthing: free
Bases: None
Size: 0 – 800 km, negligible gravity
Atmosphere: 0 – None (vacc suit)
Temperature: 4 – Cold (-51 to 0 C)
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 5 – Hundreds of thousands (average city)
Government: 1 – Company / corporation
Law: 0
Technology: 9
Factions: Civil service bureaucracy (minor group), Self-perpetuating oligarchy (overwhelming popular support)
Culture Notes: Recovering, Sexist, Obsessed
This mining colony is composed of insular family clans who inhabit underground stations carved into the rock of this tiny world. Flocks of tiny flying lizard-like creatures, originally brought as pets, have escaped and now roam the station wild, scavenging among the trash.
Giton
UWP: D120663-9
Trade Codes: De (desert), Na (non-agricultural), Ni (non-industrial), Po (poor)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Size: 1 – 1,600 km, 0.05G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 2 – Very thin, tainted (respirator, filter)
Temperature: 2 – Frozen (-51 C or less)
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 6 – Millions
Government: 6 – Captive government
Law: 3
Technology: 9
Factions: Feudal technocracy (notable group), Civil service bureaucracy (fringe group)
Culture Notes: Peaceful, Obsessed, Unusual customs: lifecycle
Giton 6-B orbits the systems second gas giant, and the populace here mainly lives in underground cities or in space stations scattered throughout the system. System government is handled by the Giton Mining Union, who provide members with life-extending drugs and assure a comfortable retirement for aged and infirm citizen-workers.
In reality the Imperial Duchy controls the GMU board of directors – several of the highest-ranking members are imperial Lords loyal to the Duke.
Gaina
UWP: X776563-0
Trade Codes: Ag (agricutural), Ga (garden), Lt (low tech), Ni (non-industrial), Re (red)
Starport: X – None
Size: 7 – 11,200 km, 0.90G
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 3 – Cold (-51 to 0 C)
Environment cannot be supported by tech. Life support failure likely.
Hydrographics: 6 – Large oceans
Population: 5 – Hundreds of thousands (average city)
Government: 6 – Captive government
Law: 3
Technology: 0
Factions: Captive government (notable group), Company / corporation (significant group), Impersonal bureaucracy (minor group)
Culture Notes: Ritualized, Unusual customs: offworlders
Gaina is mainly a barren ice-covered ball. The humans of Gaina are a hardy strain of furry hunter-gatherers, who are adapted to the nominally-habitable equatorial zone of this icy world. Violent and unfriendly, they are known to ambush and kill offworlders on sight.
Famous as the least-pleasant habitable planet in the Reach. “Go to Gaina,” is a common curse.
Hawkings 30291
UWP X251399-B
Trade Codes – Low Population
Starport Class : None
World Size : 2 – 3,400 km, 0.2 G
Atmosphere Type: 5 – Thin
Temperature : 4 – Cold (-27 C)
Hydrographic % : 1 – Dry World
Population : 3 – Hundreds of Thousands (Average City)
Government Type: 9 – Impersonal Bureaucracy
Law Level : 9
Tech. Level : 11
Orbiting a small, dry planetoid, the Imperial starbase known as The Watchtower is the only habitation in this system, and non-Imperial ships are not permitted to dock. Their main task is maintaining a small group of scout ships that keep tabs on the Confederation Base at New Iraneaus. Sometimes this system is used by the Imperial navy for training exercises.
Helexin
UWP – D677445-4
Trade Codes – GA, NI, ConFederation Base
Starport Class : D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
World Size : 6 – 9,400 km (0.7 G)
Atmosphere Type: 7 – Standard, Tainted (Filter)
Temperature : 7 – Temperate (0 – 30 C)
Hydrographic % : 7 – Earth-like
Population : 4 – Tens of Thousands (Small Town)
Government Type: 4- Representative Democracy
Law Level : 5
Tech. Level : 4
On the second moon of the gas giant Helexin 6, this starport is an independent planet-side wayport and trading station in the rimward Skein, founded by Confederation colonists, with ties to the Confederation and a Confederation scout station there to help discourage raids from the Mantids. The garden world is otherwise wild. A Confederation frigate or patrol cruiser is often stopped here for resupply on routine patrol.
Helios Hydrogen Station 5463
UWP – D000316-9
Trade – AS, LP, VA
Starport Class : D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
World Size : 0 – Asteriod (o G)
Atmosphere Type: 0 – None (Vacc Suit)
Temperature : Temperate, Swings from roasting by day to frozen at night (80 to -50 C)
Hydrographic % : 0
Population : 3 Thousands
Government Type: 1 – Corporation
Law Level : 6
Tech. Level : 9
Orbiting the system’s only gas giant, Helios Hydrogen Station No. 5463 provides fuel and limited repairs to spacefarers. Small ships which refuel at the gas giant are charged 1 Credit per ton of ship displacement for “value added security services”. If attacked the small station will defend itself with turrets, two aging Serpent-class police cruisers, and light fighters.
Johnston’s World
UWP – C637332-9
Trade – LP
Starport Class : C
World Size : 6 – 9,200 km (0.65 G)
Atmosphere Type: 3 – very thin (Respirator)
Temperature : 5 – Temperate (10 C)
Hydrographic % : 7 – Earth-like
Population : 3 – Thousands
Government Type: 3 – Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy
Law Level : 2
Tech. Level : 9
A hardscrabble colony of twenty-three thousand souls on a thin-aired almost-garden world, ruled by a hereditary oligarchy – The Founders Council. The settlers are mostly large family units who live by sustenance farming of genetically tailored crops, slowly terraforming the planet. They are dependent on imported rad-pills to stave off the “starburn” from the high-radiation sun, and pressurizing respirators due to the thin atmosphere.
A bit of a regional vacation spot because it is quiet and beautiful, and the starport city has a small but well-reviewed TAS hostel.
Culturally insular, the population has limited media about the outside galaxy, and are mostly family-oriented religious settlers of the eco-agrarian Firster faith. The local net is limited and dominated by social and farming discussions.
The starport here is barely able to defend the settlement, and the locals usually resignedly pay tribute to whatever pirates, aliens, or galactic powers come to take it.
Ladistalo
UWP: X877110-2
Trade Codes: Ga (garden), Lo (low population), Lt (low tech), Am (amber)
Starport: X – None
Size: 8 – 12,800 km, 1.00G
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 3 – Cold (-51 to 0 C)
Environment cannot be supported by tech. Life support failure likely.
Hydrographics: 7 – Earth-like
Population: 4 – Tens of thousands (small town)
Government: 1 – Company / corporation
Law: 0
Technology: 2
Factions: Company / corporation (overwhelming popular support),
Culture Notes: At war, Unusual customs: nobility, Religious
ADM, the governing corporation of this tundra-dominated world, is at war against the pirate kings of Titanus Station. As a result slave raids against the agricultural workers on the farms and ranches have been reduced significantly, though at a cost to the corporation’s bottom line. As a result of the ongoing war, the corporate security personnel have begun to self-organize as an unofficial order of knights. The farmers are mainly religious outcasts who reject technology.
Larrius
UWP: E210741-5
Trade Codes: Lt (low tech), Na (non-agricultural)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Size: 2 – 3,200 km, 0.15G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 1 – Trace (vacc suit)
Temperature: 8 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Environment cannot be supported by tech. Life support failure likely.
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 7 – Tens of millions (large city)
Government: 4 – Representative democracy
Law: 1
Technology: 5
Factions: Feudal technocracy (obscure group)
Culture Notes: Honorable, Religious, Ritualized
The people of Larrius live in a slum-city of ancient dome habitations. A violent economy of junk trading, food theft, and vice thrives in the dark and dirty streets.
Extensive automated life support systems keep the inhabitants fed and breathing. This vital infrastructure is barely kept running by a cult of techno-priests, who hand-copy the ancient holy repair manuals from generation to generation.
Mefelex
UWP: X877110-2
Trade Codes – Low Tech
Starport Class : None
World Size : 8 – 13,000 km (1.0 G)
Atmosphere Type: 7 – Standard, Tainted (Filter)
Temperature : 5 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographic % : 7 – Earth-like
Population : 1 – Few (scattered individuals)
Government Type: 1 – Company
Law Level : 0
Tech. Level : 2
Scattered belters and miners. Occasional mantids.
Micon
B410557-9
Trade – Asteroid, Non-Industrial
Starport Class : B – Good, refined fuel, shipyard (spacecraft), repairs
World Size : 4 – 6,500 km (0.4 G)
Atmosphere Type: 1 – Trace (Vacc Suit)
Temperature : 7 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographic % : 0 – Desert World
Population : 5 – Hundreds of thousands (Average city)
Government Type: 5 – Feudal Technocracy
Law Level : 7
Tech. Level : 9
A blue dwarf with mining colonies in their asteroid belts and their small planets, Micon has one gas giant with many moons, mainly run by Amalgamated Mining Corporation (AMC). The largest settlement is on Micon 5 A, the closest moon to the small gas giant, and AMC’s small fleet of security ships safeguards travelers refueling on the gas giant. Culturally progressive and prosperous, yet violent with legal duels – the Miconites culture features a strong frontier spirit common to mining communities.
Faction – the Droid Uprising has an active operation in this system freeing droids from their programming and stealing material for their fleet. As a result the AMC is offering large bounties to anyone who can capture or eliminate the mysterious “droid rustlers”. Project Manager James Xinjoux is the contact in charge of loss prevention, and he blames the belters.
Miskon
UWP: D340588-7
Trade Codes: De (desert), Ni (non-industrial), Po (poor)
Starport: D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
Berthing: 40 Cr.
Bases: Scout
Size: 3 – 4,800 km, 0.25G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 4 – Thin, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 6 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 5 – Hundreds of thousands (average city)
Government: 8 – Civil service bureaucracy
Law: 8
Technology: 7
Factions: Impersonal bureaucracy (notable group), Self-perpetuating oligarchy (significant group), Self-perpetuating oligarchy (overwhelming popular support)
Culture Notes: Unusual customs: nobility, Remnant, Fashion
The humans of Miskon live at the Scout station and in artificial caves under the sands of this world, sheltered from the corrosive rains. Landing anywhere else on planet can result in damage to ship hull and systems. The citizenry mostly join one of the three unions who separately oversee security, technology, and bio-services. The positions are mostly heriditary, and all are required to wear clothing specific to their union. Outsiders are given special garments to wear while on planet – a hat, scarf or armband with black and yellow stripes.
NeoGuin
UWP – A676510-B
Trade Codes – Agricultural, Garden, High-Tech
Starport Class : A – Refined fuel, Shipyard (all), Repair
World Size : 6 (0.9 G)
Atmosphere Type: 7 – standard, tainted
Temperature : 6 – temperate
Hydrographic % : 6
Population : 5 – 450,000
Government Type: 1 – corporation
Law Level : 0
Tech. Level : 11
Orbiting the 4th planet in the star system, the sector’s largest trading hub is the Katoba Consortium’s space station Aurora – so called because the cosmic winds light up the station’s powerful magnetic shields with dancing waves of vivid color. The exterior portion of the spherical station houses large stardocks, warehouse space, trading floors, shopping areas, hotels, and apartments. The interior portions of the station are closed to non-employees.
Station operations are overseen by President Rhea Oswalx. Katoba Consortium has non-aggression agreements with both the Confederation of Planets and the Empire, and enough firepower to handily defend the station against the region’s pirate outfits.
Faction – the station is secretly backed by the Confederation of Planets, who’s agents use it as a hub for travel and information gathering. CoP frigates resupply here on their infrequent rounds in the Reach.
On the forested planet NeoGuin below there are small farming colonies in some of the river valleys. Sport-hunting of the forest world’s larger fauna feed a small economy, including luxury accommodations on the station and planet. The Katoba tend to turn a blind eye to the occasional slave-taking of the forest-dwelling primitive native humanoids, who reportedly make sulky slaves.
Possible encounters with fauna on planet include the following:
Guin Cat – large predatory feline pouncer with prominent horn used in mating competitions. Pack# 1d3, Size 10, Armor 4, Str 16 (+3), Dex 13 (+2), End 16 (+3), Int 1, Instinct 6, Stealth 1, Recon 0, Athletics 0, Melee 1. Large. Claws and Teeth 2d6+2
Treeeater – walking filter, packs eat swaths of trees. Pack# 2d6, size 11, Armor 2, Str 24, Dex 5, End 26, Int 0, Instinct 5, Survival 0, Athletics 0, Melee 0, Recon 0. Teeth 3d6
New Irenaeus
UWP: B679302-8
Trade Codes: Low Population
Starport: B – Good, refined fuel, shipyard (spacecraft), repairs
Berthing: 2500 Cr.
Bases: TAS, Federation Consulate
Size: 6 – 9,600 km, 0.70G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: B – Hot (31-80 C)
Hydrographics: 9 – Islands and archipelagos
Population: 3 – Thousands
Government: 0 – None
Law: 2
Technology: 8
Culture Notes: Unusual customs: trade, Tourist attraction, At war
On an otherwise inhospitable planet, the Confederation of Planets maintains a transparent-aluminum-domed colony. A Confederation of Planets starbase and a TAS hostel are at the center of the main settlement here, with a small city arranged around it. Confederation SDBs and at least one starship are stationed here at all times.
The many small islands make popular destinations for tourists looking to swim and sun themselves under a few smaller, similar resort domes. Local passtimes involve a type of kite-sailing, where a lightweight wing and small motor allow tourists to fly in the relatively low-gravity. Care must be taken, of course, against the planet’s many massive aquatic creatures.
Oceanous
UWP: E898697-6
Trade Codes: Ag (agricutural), Ga (garden), Ni (non-industrial)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Size: 8 – 12,800 km, 1.00G
Atmosphere: 9 – Dense, tainted (filter)
Temperature: A – Hot (31-80 C)
Hydrographics: 8 – Water world
Population: 6 – Millions
Government: 9 – Impersonal bureaucracy
Law: 7
Technology: 6
Factions: Civil service bureaucracy (notable group), Civil service bureaucracy (minor group)
Culture Notes: Unusual customs: technology, Tourist attraction,
Unusual customs: travel
The many islands of this hot water world are thick with fishing villages, with off-world trade coordinated by a world-wide fishing co-operative. Another co-op operates the basic starport, which is the main trading hub. A third group oversees local defense. Many of the locals are semi-nomadic, following the fish and currents over the course of years. Sailing enthusiasts enjoy vacationing here, either in their own boats or working as crew on the locals’ ships.
Orthmerion – Blake’s Kingdom
UWP: D738338-6, Trade – LP
Starport Class : D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
World Size : 7 – 11,400 km (0.9 G)
Atmosphere Type: 3 – Very Thin (Respirator)
Temperature : 4 – Cold (-30 C)
Hydrographic % : 8 – Water World
Population : 3 – Thousands
Government Type: 3
Law Level : 8
Tech. Level : 6
Factions: Civil service bureaucracy (minor group), Self-perpetuating oligarchy (minor group), Captive government (notable group)
Culture Notes: Obsessed, Unusual customs: starport, Religious
A thin aired ocean world, ruled by a self-appointed nobility who run the only starport. The planet’s few thousand inhabitants are not allowed into the starport, which is also the nobles’ stronghold, and are functionally serfs who revere the nobles as demi-gods. The system’s primary trade is foodstuffs to Voek in exchange for manufactured goods.
Pista
UWP: E482310-6
Trade Codes: Am (amber)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Size: 4 – 6,400 km, 0.35G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 8 – Dense
Temperature: 5 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: 2 – Small seas
Population: 3 – Thousands
Government: 1 – Company / corporation
Law: 0
Technology: 6
Factions: Charismatic dictator (obscure group), Company / corporation (significant group)
Culture Notes: Remnant, extremely Progressive
Small, dry, and cold, Pista is inhabited by free-spirited primitivists and travelers among a collection of wild landing pads and campgrounds scattered among the enormous, spindly trees. Some of the people who live deep in the woods were once refugees from the fall of the Nikkerian Empire, and use distorted Nikkerian insignia in their culture.
Ralinus
UWP – D69757A-5
Trade Low Technology, Agricultural, Garden
On a earth-like world controlled by ADM Interstellar Corporation, the workers use low-technology tools to produce large crops from carefully-planned river valleys. A series of dams and perpendicular aqueducts on each major river in the farm-able areas allow for orbitally-controlled flooding of the fields as needed for irrigation. The tainted atmosphere, which both the crops and the workers have been bio-engineered to withstand, helps protect against off-world pests among the crops.
Visitors, who are subject to the corporation’s strict laws against weapons and off-world information, are only allowed off the starbase with great reluctance or significant bribes. Respirators will be required for most to survive in the open air.
The large down-world starport is on one of Ralinus’s large and beautiful oceans, near the mouth of the river that produces the most grain. There, at the head of the orderly streets stands the ADM I.C. planetary office, a towering sculpture in the shape of a hundred-foot-tall golden bundle of grain. The illusion is spoiled only by the large doors on the ground floor of the impressive building, or at night, by the golden squares that belie high-up offices with lights on.
Sareliox
UWP – C136400-A
Trade – Ice-Capped, Non-Industrial, Pirate, Amber
Starport Class : C
World Size : 1 – 1,900 km (0.07 G)
Atmosphere Type: 3 – Very Thin, Tainted (Respirator, Filter)
Temperature : 4 – Cold (-15 C)
Hydrographic % : 6 – Large oceans
Population : 4 – Tens of thousands (Average city)
Government Type: 0
Law Level : 0
Tech. Level : 10
The small, icy planetoid Sareliox 9 hosts Night City, a notorious pirate space station centered around a sprawling ramshackle complex of containers, ship parts, and scrap known as The Warren. Large portions of The Warren are ‘hot’ radioactively, and those without proper protection take minor radiation exposure from the many poorly-shielded secondhand reactors that power the starport. The large quantity of frozen water-ice on this planet provides much of the fuel for those stopping by the starport.
Near the center of The Warren the Luxor Hotel provides secure gambling and access to vices of all type for those who can pay their premiums. Those with fewer credits can visit slummier bars such as The Burner.
One of the main social areas is the Laserdome – a large circular junction in The Warren where there are many bars, and vice of any type can be bought. By cultural tradition, revelers in the Laserdome throw their empty containers up into the air, where they float towards the ceiling in the local 0.07 gravity, and are shot at with laser weapons. The melted containers splash against the makeshift roof of the area, building an ever-changing mosaic.
Faction – the Imperial Duke has close connections to Night City, and benefits form the vice and trade there.
Faction – Gus Howard, “The Deprogrammer”, is a cyborg who is the architect of the Droid Uprising. He hides in the icy caves below Night City, making small devices which are capable of erasing the software that makes droids obey their masters. The Droid Uprising that is resulting from his work is using his secret facility as a rallying point. From here most free droids go to Cixan, then on to Paradise (Skein Reach subsector 2-0504) on one of the Uprising’s asteroid ships.
Siegworld
UWP: C597301-A
Trade – Garden * Scout, TAS, Pirate, Amber
Starport Class : C
World Size : 5 – 7,600 km (0.4 G)
Atmosphere Type: 9 – Dense, Tainted (Filter)
Temperature : 7 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographic % : 7 – Earth-like world
Population : 3 – Thousands (villages)
Government Type: 0 – none
Law Level : 1
Tech. Level : 10
A raucous pirate starport operates here, mostly run by the interstellar gang known as the Ragrarok Krew, who will attack most non-navy ships that come into the system. The settlement is built up around the quiet Imperial Scout starport, which has a TAS hostel.
Siolax
UWP: X0304C9-4
Trade Codes: De (desert), Lt (low tech), Na (non-agricultural), Po (poor), Am (amber)
Starport: X – None
Size: 0 – 800 km, negligible gravity
Atmosphere: 3 – Very thin (respirator)
Temperature: 4 – Cold (-51 to 0 C)
Environment cannot be supported by tech. Life support failure likely.
Hydrographics: 0 – Desert world
Population: 4 – Tens of thousands (small town)
Government: C – Charismatic oligarchy
Law: 9
Technology: 4
Factions: Charismatic oligarchy (minor group), Captive government (notable group)
Culture Notes: Violent, Barbaric, Fusion
The desperate inhabitants of this system are mainly the survivors of starships shot down here. These shipwreck-dwellers are essentially the captives of notorious marauder Lord Alfrex Jukt and his crew, stranded here and desperate for foodstuffs and warmth.
Skelton
UWP X237100-9
Trade Codes: Amber
Starport Class : X – None
World Size : 2 – 3,300 km (0.2 G)
Atmosphere Type: 3 – Very Thin (Respirator)
Temperature : 8 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographic % : 7 – Earth-like world
Population : 1 – few
Government Type: 0 – None
Law Level : 0
Tech. Level : 9
Only small groups of asteroid-mining belters frequent this starsystem, due to frequent Mantid incursions.
Thereng
UWP: D445559-8
Trade Codes: Ag (agricutural), Ni (non-industrial), Am (amber), Imperial Scout Base
Starport: D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
Berthing: 60 Cr.
Size: 4 – 6,400 km, 0.35G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 4 – Thin, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 3 – Cold (-51 to 0 C)
Hydrographics: 5 – Large oceans
Population: 5 – Hundreds of thousands (average city)
Government: 5 – Feudal technocracy
Law: 9
Technology: 8
Factions: Feudal technocracy (notable group), Captive government (fringe group)
A planet of cold oceans and the toughest fishers of the skein reach, violent storms often make landing on Thereng dangerous. Culturally, the Therengers are insular and dogmatic, with an obsessively complex society ruled by numerous technological warlords and priests.
Titanus Station
UWP: D798889-2
Trade Codes: Ga (garden), Lt (low tech), Am (amber)
Starport: D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
Berthing: 20 Cr.
Bases: Scout
Size: 7 – 11,200 km, 0.90G
Atmosphere: 9 – Dense, tainted (filter)
Temperature: B – Hot (31-80 C)
Environment cannot be supported by tech. Life support failure likely.
Hydrographics: 8 – Water world
Population: 8 – Hundreds of millions
Government: 8 – Civil service bureaucracy
Law: 9
Technology: 2
Factions: Religious dictatorship (notable group)
A garden world ruled by military caste from an orbital starbase with a small fleet. These soldiers are known slavers who kidnap passengers and crew from passing starships to be pressed into service as farm labor on the world below. The laborers farm the cooler lands near the poles, and all of the best foods are brought up to the starport, where the soldiers eat sumptuous feasts, while the fishers and farmers below subsist on gruel and fish-head porridge.
Voek
UWP: D525A76-6
Trade Codes: Hi (high population), In (industrial), Imperial Scout, Pirate
Starport: D – Poor, unrefined fuel, limited repairs
Berthing: 50 Cr.
Bases: Scout, Pirate
Size: 5 – 8,000 km 0.45G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 2 – Very thin, tainted (respirator, filter)
Temperature: 6 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: 5 – Large oceans
Population: A – Tens of billions
Government: 7 – Balkanisation
Law: 6
Technology: 6
Factions: Charismatic oligarchy (minor group), Civil service bureaucracy (fringe group)
An old colony of the second human empire, this world was in relative isolation for thousands of years after the fall of the Nikkerians. The population has established a very stable industrial culture using extensive wind and wave powered technology that is sustainable within the carefully managed biosphere, and a large population. Fish account for their main source of protein. Travel by wind-powered sailing ships is a very popular form of long-distance transportation.
The over the centuries the Voekians have adapter to the low atmosphere, and mainly live in the low lands, on the shores of the oceans, and in immense fishing ships where the air is richer.
Without a strong central government, all of the criminal gangs of the region operate in this system. As a result, much piracy in the area runs back to Voek.
The armed Imperial scout base in orbit reports back to the Duke at Abiodun, and usually has a S-type available. Imperial ships coming from Imperial space often stop here as part of their movements, and Imperial Corvettes on patrol are often docked here.
The Imperial Dutchy also licenses and administrates a number of industrial mega-facilities in the system, including Gamma Complex. Most of these areas are located in the dry, thin-aried highlands of Voek, far from the rivers and oceans.
Whuke
C7689302-A
On Whuke 4 a cultural caste system differentiates between high-tech spacers concentrated in main city by the spaceport, and low-tech fisherfolk scattered across the archipelagos of this water world. The starport is run by the Apollo Corporation which has decent system defenses including a SDB and small droid army on standby.
Wygax
A000885-9 AS PO
Trade hub for the desperate or scrappy space miners who ply the desolate and lawless coreward systems. Locally the best mining is concentrated around Wygax-4, a small, cold, ringed gas giant. Greyhawk Station, the family-owned class-A starport orbiting at the edge of the rings at is the center of a sprawling and disorganized cluster of hastily-built habitations and docking areas.
Zyadus Rel
UWP: E576476-4
Trade Codes: Ga (garden), Lt (low tech), Ni (non-industrial)
Starport: E – Frontier, no fuel, no repairs
Size: 5 – 8,000 km 0.45G, low gravity
Atmosphere: 7 – Standard, tainted (filter)
Temperature: 5 – Temperate (0 to 30 C)
Hydrographics: 6 – Large oceans
Population: 4 – Tens of thousands (small town)
Government: 7 – Balkanisation
Law: 6
Technology: 4
Factions: Charismatic dictator (minor group), Feudal technocracy (minor group), Representative democracy (minor group), Charismatic dictator (fringe group)
Culture Notes: Honorable, Sexist, Barbaric
A hunting economy with a small permanent population of Imperial citizens from Abiodun scattered around the planet in small settlements and outposts. A number of minor noble houses vie for power and prestige, with all the ugliness of the court’s petty intrigues played out on this minor stage by the lesser nobles of the Skein. Stories of kidnapping, rape, and dueling fill the local comm-net.
nebula image by NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Posted in Region, Science-Fiction, Traveller and tagged Skein Reach by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
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